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Understanding food labels

An important indicator of an ethical company is that its meat comes from well-cared-for animals, say UK shoppers.

By
Chris Haslam

Apr 13, 2017

Seb OliverGetty Images

In a recent study, three-quarters of UK shoppers said an important indicator of an ethical company is that its meat comes from well-cared-for animals. But with so many labels, knowing which is best is tricky. Here's how to unravel the label language.

Chickens featuring the Red Tractor logo are intensively reared in large sheds with 38-42kg/m2 of birds. RSPCA Freedom Food birds are kept indoors with no more than 30kg/m2, while RSPCA Freedom Food Free Range and Organic birds must have access to outside during the day.

With free range and organic eggs, the hens live in sheds but can go outside, while barn hens are kept indoors but allowed to move around and lay eggs in a nest box. Battery farming is now illegal, but 'eggs from caged hens' isn't much better, with birds having little room.

Colin McPherson/Corbis via Getty ImagesGetty Images

Outdoor-bred pigs are born outside and brought indoors soon after weaning, while outdoor- reared means pigs are born and reared outdoors for about half their lives; the sows stay outside.

Organic food can be expensive, but supermarkets are developing sustainable schemes. Natalie Chandler from Asda says: 'To ensure standards are improving we've established Farmlink to help develop best practice and sustainability across the farmers and producers we use.'

Benjamin Woodgate from Wholefoods says: 'Simply eating less meat, but ensuring that what you do purchase is better quality, will make a difference.'

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